Play Santa: Give us a tree, Orlando asks

November 20, 2009|By Mark Schlueb, Sentinel Staff Writer

The recession is putting a crimp on Christmas in Orlando.

For the first time in memory, there'll be no Christmas tree at City Hall.

Along with the Christmas Star that has hung above Orange Avenue since the 1950s, the City Hall tree has been one of Orlando's most visible holiday traditions. But in a year when the city shed more than 200 workers to avoid a budget deficit, Mayor Buddy Dyer and the City Council decided a tree was a luxury. Not buying one will save the city about $22,000.

"People have come to expect it, but these are difficult economic times, and we have to look at every expense and focus on our core services," said Heather Allebaugh, Dyer's press secretary, adding that the city still hopes a good Samaritan will save the day by donating a tree.

The city has also nixed the hundreds of small trees made of garland that usually hang from lampposts across town. This year, they'll remain in storage because it costs too much to pay workers from Orlando Utilities Commission to hang them.

The garland that was wrapped around 300 lampposts will be gone, too. And don't look for the 1,200 poinsettias that last year dotted downtown.

But the tree may be missed the most.

"They're not having a tree?" asked Miranda Sears, a 22-year-old downtown worker. "There are a lot of other things they might need the money for, but it's Christmas. It gets people in the holiday spirit and maybe in the spirit to spend."

Many cities avoid holiday cuts

Few Central Florida cities besides Orlando are making Christmas cuts. Last year, DeBary cut decorations on its light poles to every other pole. Now, it's every fourth pole. The city also ended its display at DeBary Hall. Sanford's Christmas tree was chopped out of the city's budget, but the local Chamber of Commerce stepped in and is funding the tradition this year.

But other cities will remain merry and bright. Though officials in Mount Dora considered dropping their annual "Light Up Mount Dora" show, which illuminates downtown with about 2million lights, council members decided the decorations were too important to residents and local businesses, Mayor Melissa DeMarco said.

"It is very important to our local economy and very important to our residents as well," DeMarco said. "It is something everyone looks forward to, and not as many people can get away this year."

Winter Park is actually adding more lights around Hannibal Square and putting an ice-skating rink in Central Park.

Orlando's holiday budget has dwindled the past few years. In 2007, the city spent $230,000 to refurbish, install and then take down 750 of the garland trees, and hang the Christmas Star. Last year, the budget was cut to 400 trees and the star for $139,000. This year: Just the star was hung, for $8,000.

The tree, plus an annual "lighting ceremony," costs extra. Last year, a 33-foot Douglas fir was decorated with 12,000 lights, lights the city still has if someone donates a tree to hang them on.

City officials said there have been talks with a prospective donor, whom they wouldn't identify.

Orlando seeks light donations

Dyer is also counting on volunteers to bring holiday cheer to the city's signature Lake Eola Park. He has teamed with 104.1 FM (WTKS) talk-radio host Buckethead to solicit people willing to help decorate the park Dec.5. Residents are even being asked to bring spare Christmas lights to string up; strands with about 100,000 bulbs have been donated so far.

There will be one addition to the park: a miniature ice-skating rink, starting Dec.11. The Downtown Development Board is footing that $7,000 cost.

"We hope that Lake Eola Park will be sort of a winter wonderland," said Thomas Chatmon, the board's director.